Automatic pump pipe drain mechanism



Aug. 1938. c. cRAvENs 2,126,450

AUTOMATIC PUMP PIPE DRAIN MECHANISM Filed April 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheej: 1

Inventor A itorneys v Aug. 1938 c. CRAVEIQS 2,126,450

AUTOMATIC PUMP PIPE DRAIN MECHANISM Filed April 12, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aiiorneys l Inventor [kr/(zaaena Aug. 9, 1938., c. cRAvENs AUTOMATIC PUMP PIPE DRAIN MECHANISM Filed April 12, 1937 5 Sheets-Sfiaet 3 :4 Inventor 7/ 70 7- 6y Jzri fiaww 7! Q 7 By J A iiomeys Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNiTED STATES AUTOMATIC PUMP PIPE DRAIN MECHANISM Carl Cravens, Pedernal, N. Mex.

Application April 12,

6 Claims.

My invention relates generally to automatic pump pipe drain mechanism, and particularly to drain mechanism of this character especially M adapted for use in conjunction with windmill pumps, and an important object of my invention is to providea simple, efficient, and practical arrangement of this character operating to drain thepump pipe to prevent the water freezing in U the pump pipe and damaging the same.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown H a preferred embodiment of my invention.

' In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a generalelevational view of an embodiment of the mechanism showing the drain valve in a closed position.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 2-2 and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the long slide. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the smaller slide.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical taken through the drain valve. V

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the plunger casing. Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 6 approximately on the line 1-1 and looking downwardly inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the plunger.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the pump pipe in which is operated the pump piston (not shown) by the pump rod 6. Inaccordance with the present invention brackets l and 8 are connected by means of respective U-bolts 9 and Ill to the pipe 5 to extend laterally therefrom and support the upper and lower ends of the slide channels I0 and l l which have on'their lower ends spring mounting ears l2 and [3, respectively, tethering the lower ends of the respective springs l4 and I5 whose upper ends are connected as indicated by the numerals l6 and Il to the smaller and larger slides l8, l9, respectively The smaller 5 g slide it is shorter than the longer slide l9, but

both slides have the channel-shaped cross-section shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and include laterally extending flanges 2B and 2! which are slidably confined by the channel flanges 22 and g 23. 'I'heconnection of the upper ends of the sectional view 1937, Serial No. 136,453 (01. Bi -34.1)

springs i i and I5, to the slides normally urge the slides downwardly. p

The slide [8 has pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated by the numeral 24 a pivoted dog 25 which has an aperture 26 at one end and a curved bill 21 at the opposite end. A projection 23 on the webof the slide is adapted to be engaged by the underside of the righthand part of the dog to prevent the dog from tilting downwardly beyond a horizontal position. a suitably formed lower end portion of a con necting link or rod 28 which has its upper end pivoted as indicated by the numeral 29 to a laterally projecting bracket 30 which is clamped on the pump rod t as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, so that as the pump rod 6 is reciprocated in the action of pumping; the slide it and the dog 25 will be operated in upward and downward directions.

The lower end of theslide l9 has a pivotal connection 3| with the upper end of acoriri'ecting link 32 which has its lowerend pivoted as indicated by the numeral 33 to the upper end of an angulated lever 34 whose lower end is fastened as indicated by the numeral 35 to a squared portion on the valve shaft tfi which includes the valve part 31 turning in a suitable cage 38 on the drain pipe 39 which opens into the side of the pump 5' below the bracket 8. 1

Upper andlower brackets All and M fastened to the web of the slide l9 extend laterally therefrom and embrace and support the small plunger cylinder 42 alongside of the. slide I9. A longer plunger cylinder: 43 is mounted laterally outwardly of and below the plunger cylinder 42 by means of a bracket Ml which is a part of the bracket 8. By means of 'this arrangement the longer plunger cylinder 43 is stationary with respect tov the supporting structure, while the smaller plunger cylinder 52 is movable'with the slide l9.

The slide ifi has pivoted thereto as indicatedby the numeral 45 a generallyhorizontal lever which has a cut away portion 46 at its lefthand end with which the bill of the dog 25 is engageable in the manner indicated in Figure -1 of thedrawings when the slide i8 comesup from a depressed position relative to the slide iii, and the opposite end of the le'verfll is bifurcated to'provide the armsflfl and' lilj'which have an'iipward; andv laterally outward curvature as indicated by the numeral 50 in Figure l of the drawings;

Securely fastened to the slide it above the lever 41 is a laterally projecting bracket 5| which has a clamp 52 on its "laterallyoutward end which is The aperture 2% receives fastened to the plunger rod 53 on the longer cylinder 43. The arm or bracket 5| overlies the lever 4'! and has at its inward end an angularly cutaway portion 54 to cooperate with the lever 41.

Thelever 41 has its bifurcated end located over the plunger rod 55 of the small cylinder 42, the arms 48 and 49 being located on opposite sides of this plunger rod 55 and adapted to rest on the head 56 of this plunger rod. Between the head 56 and the top of the cylinder 42 is a helical spring 51 which acts to raise the plunger rod 55.

The structure of the plunger cylinder 43 is identical with that of the small plunger cylinder 42 with the exception that there is no spring 51 on the plunger rod 53 on the larger cylinder. Therefore, description of one of the plunger cylinders will suffice as description for the other. Referring to Figure 6 of the drawings, each plunger cylinder is composed of a barrel 59 which has a closed. bottom 60 and a gland 6| closing an opening 62 in its top through which gland works the plunger rod 63 which is tubular in form and has passing therethrou-gh the adjusting screw 64 which is threaded as indicated by the numeral 65 in the rod 63 and has the smooth portion 66 arranged in concentric spaced relation with the interior of the rod 63 and depending therebelow. Threaded on the lower end of the plunger rod 63 is the valve cage 61 which has holes 68 in opposed positions. A nut 69 threaded on the lower end of the valve cage bears against a washer 10 which holds a leather or other suitable material cup H against a top washer 12 to provide the suction medium. A plug 13 is threaded into the lower end of the valve cage and works against the bottom of a helical spring 14 which presses against the lower end of a valve 15 which has a closed top and an open bottom, and holes 16 which are normally out of registry with or only partially registered with the holes 68 in the valve cage, by adjustment of the screw 64. A pin extending from the valve into a groove in the interior of the valve cage keeps the valve 15 from turning in the valve cage.

If the windmill or the like is not operating, the device 01 the invention will have the parts thereof in lowered position wherein the petcock or drain valve 31 will be in an open position. When the windmill starts operating, the slide l8 will, on the down stroke of the pump rod 6, slide downwardly in its flanged guide, thereby permitting the dog 25 to pivot slightly and slide past and under the portion 46 of the lever 41. Then on the upward stroke of the pump rod 6, the slide [8 rises and the dog 25 falls into a horizontal position and catches underneath the portion 46 of the lever 41. As the slide and the dog 25 continue upwardly, the lever 41 and the slide l9 are carried upwardly as well as the cylinder 42 and the plunger rod 53 of the larger cylinder 43; as well as the lever 34; so that as the parts attain the top of the elevated position, the valve 31 will be closed. As the pump rod 6 goes down again, the slide l8 proceeds to the full depressed position and comes up again as the pump rod rises again. In the interim, the slide I9 sinks slowly, possibly one-quarter or three-eighths of an inch, but the slide l8 raises it again to the top position. This action repeats itself as long as the pump rod 6 is reciprocating, thereby keeping the valve 31 closed. If the mill stalls, as frequently happens on the upstroke of the piston rod 6, the slide I 9 sinks slowly due to the fact that the oil 18 in the lower part of the cylinder 56 passesupthrough the valve cage 61 very slowly. As the slide l9 continues to sink, the dog or lever 41 passes the dog 25 and as they meet, the dog 41 is tilted so as to press downwardly on the plunger rod 55 of the small plunger cylinder 42 so as to cause the plunger rod 55 to sink slowly into the cylinder 42 until the end 46 of the lever 41 clears the protruding bill of the dog 25, whereat the slide l8 continues on to the lowest position, thereby opening the valve 31 and allowing the water in the pump pipe 5 to drain through the drain pipe 39. The spring 51 raises the plunger rod 55 to its elevated position, thereby causing the slide H! to be ready to be picked up again when the rod 6 begins to reciprocate again as the mill starts pumping.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:-

1. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operating element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between said pump rod and said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first mem ber being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a. first dog on said first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first mem her.

2. In combination with a' reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operating element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between said pump rodand said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first member being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a first dog on said first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first member, individual spring means for urging said first and second members in said one direction of movement of said first member.

3. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operating element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between said pump rod and said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first member being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a first dog on said 75' first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first member, individual spring means for urging said first and second members in said one direction of movement of said first member, first dashpot means carried by said second member and with which said second dog is operatively engaged, and second dashpot means mounted stationarily with respect to said first and second members and operatively engaged only by said second member.

4. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operating element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between said pump rod and said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first member being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a first dog on said first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first member, individual spring means for urging said first and second members in said one direction of movement of said first member, first dashpot means carried by said second member and with which said second do is operatively engaged, and second dashpot means mounted stationarily with respect to said first and second members and operatively engaged only by said second member, said first and second dogs being pivoted respectively to said first and second members.

5. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operat ing element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between i said pump rod and said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first member being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a first dog on said first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first member, individual spring means for urging said first and second members in said one direction of movement of said first member, first dashpot means carried by said second member and with which said second dog is operatively engaged, and second dashpot means mounted stationarily with respect to said first and second members and operatively engaged only by said second member, said first and second dogs being pivoted respectively to said first and second members, and second spring means operatively engaged with said first dashpot means in opposition to said second dog.

6. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod or the like, a pump pipe in which said pump rod works, a drain for said pump pipe, a valve interposed in said drain and having an operating element, operating mechanism for said operating element, said operating mechanism comprising means operatively connected between said pump rod and said operating element, said means comprising a first member, and a second member connected to said operating element, said first member being connected for reciprocation by said pump rod, and a first dog on said first member, a second dog on said second member, said first dog being arranged to operatively engage said second dog to carry said second member in the direction of movement of said first member only in one direction of movement of said first member, individual spring means for urging said first and second members in said one direction of movement of said first member, first dashpot means carried by said second member and with which said second dog is operatively engaged, and second dashpot means mounted stationarily with respect to said first and second members and operatively engaged only by said second member, said first and second dashpot means each comprising a closed cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a piston above the fluid, a plunger rod connected to said piston, and an adjusting rod extending through said plunger rod, a valve in said piston, a spring positioning said valve in opposition to said adjusting rod.

CARL CRAVENS. 

